What are the early signs of esophageal cancer? How to prevent esophageal cancer?

Esophageal cancer is one of the common malignant tumors. About 300,000 people die of esophageal cancer every year in the world. According to reports, my country is the country with the highest incidence and mortality of esophageal cancer. About 150,000 people die of esophageal cancer every year, accounting for nearly 1/4 of all deaths from malignant tumors. So what are the early symptoms of esophageal cancer? How can we prevent it?

1. Swallowing obstruction

In the early stage of esophageal cancer, the lesions often manifest as small-scale congestion, erosion, swelling, superficial ulcers and small plaque lesions in the local esophageal mucosa. When anything passes through these locations, it is easy to feel uncomfortable or difficult to swallow. If the disease progresses, there will be a feeling of choking.

2. Slow passage through the esophagus

The esophageal opening often becomes smaller, making it difficult to swallow food and causing a feeling of food retention. These symptoms only occur when swallowing food and disappear immediately after eating. They have nothing to do with the nature of the food and can even cause the same feeling when drinking water.

3. Dryness in the throat after eating

When swallowing food, people often feel discomfort, slight pain, dryness, and tightness, especially when swallowing dry or rough food, the feeling of dryness and tightness is particularly obvious.

4. Feeling of stuffiness and discomfort behind the sternum

If it is early stage esophageal cancer, there is often a vague feeling of chest discomfort, but the exact location of this feeling cannot be determined. You can only feel a discomfort behind the sternum, or there may be slight pain, burning, pricking, pulling, etc.

Ways to prevent esophageal cancer

1. Pay attention to drinking water hygiene

Drinking water is one of the main sources of carcinogenic nitrosamines and their precursors entering the human body. The quality of tap water that has been filtered and disinfected is better.

2. Change bad eating and living habits

Bad eating and living habits are related to the incidence of esophageal cancer. Smoking, drinking, eating pickled vegetables, small fish with thorns, moldy food, eating too fast, and not eating three meals on time are positively correlated with esophageal cancer. Eating vegetables, fruits, and soy products frequently are negatively correlated with esophageal cancer.

3. Pay attention to balanced nutrition

Dietary conditioning is also an effective way to prevent esophageal cancer. It is recommended to eat more vegetables, fruits and oily plants. Take in a balanced amount of vitamins A, B2, C, E, carotene, selenium, etc. from food.